Method of connecting rails, rail-connecting devices and rails obtained therefrom



E'E PAuLv 2,950,059

RAIL-CONNECTING UC-AMED AILS, OBTAINED THEREFROM g- 1960 MARcEL-L METHOD OF CONNECTING R DEVICES AND RAILS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1956 mwpvrm: Mama me May PAM/z E'E PAuLvE 2,950,059

RAIL-CONNECTING Aug. 23, 19 0 MARCEL-LUC-AMED METHOD OF CONNECTING RAILS,

DEVICES AND RAILS OBTAINED THEREFROM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1956 W U k 1 0 r. a M 2 Z M ww W m yam METHOD OF CONNECTING'RAILS. RAIL-CONNECTING Aug. 23, 19,60 MARCEb-LUC-AME DE PAuLvF: 2,950,059

mzvxcss AND RAILS OBTAINED 'IHEREFROM Filed Jan. 16, 1956 5 Sh ets-Sheet z /xmm, 1M M M A arry 31 2,950,059 mzc'rmc ROM I Aug. 2 1950 MARCEL-LUC-AMEDEE PAuLv METHOD OF CONNECTING RAILS. RAIL-CON DEVICES AND RAILS OBTAINED THEREF 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan.

Aug- .23, 1 0 MARcEL-LUC-AMEDIEE PAuLv 2,950,059

METHOD CTING RAILS, RAIL-CONN NG ECTI ROM OF CONNE DEVICES AND RAILS OBTAINED THEREF 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 16, 1956 3 mm Nn\ e p n; M M

Martian on CGNNECTING RAILS, -coN- NECTlhIG nnvrcns AND OBTAINED This invention relates essentially to a method of connecting rails. Difierent types of rail joints are now in use. These known devices employ the method of laying the rails in end to end relationship and connecting them by means of fish-plates pressed against the head and base of the rail, on either side of the rail web, by adequate clamping means. These clamping means consist as a rule of bolts extending through the rails and fishplates, or clamps surrounding the rail base and exerting an elastic pressure against the fish-plates.

These known devices have the serious inconvenience of making it necessary to leave substantially wide gaps between the end faces of the rails thus connected, in order to permit the free expansion of these rails under the influence of temperature variations, or in case of local heating due to the passage of wheels.

Due to the constant increase in train speeds and also in the loads carried by the axles the present trend is more and more towards longer rails. However, the use of long rails must be attended by an increase in the width of the butt-joint gap to permit the free expansion of the rails; thus, skew or splayed joints have been widely used to avoid the formation of excessively wide joint gaps at low temperatures; in this case the joint is disposed obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis 'of the track, in order to reduce the impact effect between the rails and the wheels.

Nevertheless, this arrangement is detrimental in that repeated shocks are caused by the passage of the wheels on each joint.

It is the essential object of this invention to provide a method whereby these difierent drawbacks, are avoided, this method being remarkable notably in that it consists in forming at either end of the rails to be connected rail elements, such as blades or the like, so that these elements, blades or the like constitute integral extensions of the rail body, have a certain length and are positioned on one side of the longitudinal axis of the rail, in connecting adjacent rails by placing their aforesaid extensions side by side so that they remain in contact with each other through at least one portion of the inner longitudinal face of their heads in the different relative longitudinal positions in which these extensions are placed by varying temperature conditions.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that there is no sudden break in the running surface of the rail when the wheels pass from one rail to another. Due to the overlapping of the end portions of the pair of adjacent rails in the running surface thereof the wheels leave one rail only after engaging at least partly the running surface of the adjacent or next rail; therefore, this passage takes place progressively and without producing the usual hard shocks.

According to another feature of this invention the inner faces of the heads of the aforesaid blades or like extensions have formed thereon one or more surface portions located in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail, and the rails are so connected that two adjacent rails will remain in constant contact along said surface portions of their heads.

As a consequence of this arrangement the juxtaposed extensions or end portions of a pair of adjacent rails will bear against each other continuously and this feature, combined with the provision of adequate clamping means, will ensure a highly satisfactory close relationship of the assembly at the rail joint level.

This invention is also concerned with rails manufactured by the method broadly set forth hereinabove and remarkable notably in that they are formed with an end or blade-like portion of reduced or tapered width, which extend along a predetermined length and on substantially the same side of their longitudinal axis, this blade or like end portion having a shape so designed that when it is juxtaposed in the joint-forming position with the relevant blade or like end portion of an adjacent rail these blades or like end portions contact each other along their webs through at least one portion of the longitudinal inner face of their heads.

According to another feature of this invention the aforesaid blades or like rail extensions have a substantially symmetrical profile at their head level so as to fit exactly in the corresponding blade of an adjacent rail when the end portions of the rails are placed in a predetermined relative longitudinal position.

This invention is also concerned with a connecting device for assembling rails according to the aforesaid method, this device being remarkable notably in that it comprises in combination on the one hand a pair of rail elements of reduced Width, or blades of the aforesaid type, constituting the extensions of the bodies of the rails to be assembled, and on the other hand means for clamping and possibly guiding and/or locking the rails, these means being provided along said blades or like extensions so as to press them against each other while enabling them to creep longitudinally and within predetermined limits with respect to each other.

This device also comprises preferably creep limiting means adapted to maintain within two extreme values the variations in relative longitudinal positions to which the juxtaposed end portions of a pair of adjacent rails may be subjected for example by rail contractions and expansions resulting from temperature variations.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear as the following description proceeds with reference to the attached drawings forming part of this specification and illustrating diagrammatically by way of example a few embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a track section in which the rails have opposite or aligned joints made in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing on a larger scale a rail joint having undergone a substantial or maximum contraction with respect to their condition corresponding to their expanded positions shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows the elements of Fig. 2 but in elevational view;

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken upon the line IVIV of Fig. 2 and on larger scale.

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken upon the line V-V of Fig. 2 but on a larger scale.

Figure 6 is a cross-section taken upon the line VIVl of Fig. 2 but on a larger scale.

Figure 7 is a cross-section taken upon the line V-II-VII of Fig. 2 but on a larger scale, and

Figure 8 is another cross-section taken upon the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 2 but on a larger scale.

In the example illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings a pair of connecting devices A and A are provided for assembling a pair of parallel rails 1, 1' with the next pair of rails 2, 2' respectively, on a track.

These connecting devices are arranged as follows:

The rails 1 and 2 for example are each formed with a tapered end portion or blades a a positioned substantially on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the rail.

Each tapered portion or blade may consist as illustrated of integral portions of the rail or, alternatively be formed by separate elements fastened to the relevant rail body by welding, fish-plates or any other suitable means.

Each tapered portion or blade comprises a base 3 and a web 4 of the same shape as one-half of the base and web of the complete rail, so that when the blades a and a are coupled together the resulting assembly has substantially the same section or profile as the complete rail, as shown in Figures 5 to 7 of the drawings.

The running-surface carrying upper portions or heads 5 of these blades have an outer contour 6 (Fig. 4) similar to that of the complete rail of which they constitute an extension. On the other hand, the longitudinal inner face of this upper portion 5 has a different shape having preferably the following characteristics:

This inner face 7 forms from the heel-forming end 8 a portion 9 located in a plane parallel to the longitudnial axis of the rail; moreover, this portion 9 forms an angle a with the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail (Fig. 4). This portion 9 extends through a certain length of the blade, thereby forming at the top of the head 5 a running surface 10 of constant width. This same portion 9 extends preferably from the heel 8 of the blade to a longitudinal point thereof which is designated by the reference letter b in the plan view of Figure 2. From this point b and in the same direction this portion 9 merges in another surface portion 11 forming a variable angle with the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail. The cross-sectional view of this surface portion 11 is illustrated diagrammatically by the straight line 11a in Figures 5 to 7. This straight line 11a forms with the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail a variable angle {3 reduced to zero degree in the substantially intermediate portion of the blade, i.e. about the point of Fig. 2; actually this point c corresponds to that top portion of the head wherein the inner face of the head intersects the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail or merges therein; thus the blade profile a of Fig. is obtained, Beyond this point e the same surface portion is inclined in the opposite direction with respect to this plane of symmetry, the variable angle 5 varying progressively from zero degree to the same maximum value a (Figures 5 to 7).. This value a is attained near the point of the blade, as shown at b in Fig. 2.

This surface portion 11 is followed by a third surface portion 12 located in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the rail so as to form a same constant angle a as the aforesaid surface portion 9, except that its inclination is the reverse of that of this surface 9 with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail. The surface portion 12 forms with the top of the head 5 a running surface 13 of constant width and corresponding to the thinnest portion of the blade.

Both blades a and a have the same profile at their upper portions so that when they are assembled in the position shown in Fig. 1 they contact each other not only along their bases and webs but also throughout the longitudinal inner face of their heads, i.e. along their portions 9, 11 and 12.

The blades :1 and a are pressed against each other for example by means of elongated fish-plates e and e extending throughout the length of the joint and even preferably beyond the extremities of the points so that each of them will bear, as shown in Figures 4 to 8 for example, against one portion 14 of the upper face of the base 3 and one portion 15 of the lower face of the head 5. These fish-plates are held in position by C-shaped clamps s s and .9 (Fig. 1).

As shown in detail in Fig. 6, each clamp has one of its curved arms 16 formed with an end shoulder 17 engaging a circular recess 18 formed in the outer face of the fishplate 2 and the other arm 19 of this clamp is internally screw-threaded and engaged by a clamping screw 20*. This screw 20 does not engage the fish-plate directly but through the medium of an elastic device 21 consisting for example of a socket 22 adapted to receive the end portion of the screw 21) and a cup-shaped member 24 threaded on the socket and containing a pair of resilient washers 25, 25' located between the bottom of this cup-shaped member 24 and an intermediate ring 26 adapted to transmit the stress produced by the screw 20 to an annular bearing surface or seat 27 formed in the fish-plate e The ring 26 is retained on the socket 22 before mounting the clamp by means of a retaining ring 28 engaging a groove provided for this purpose on the outer surface of the inner end of the socket 22.

Of course, this assembling may be effected by using joints or clamps of other types than that described and shown herein.

In combination with these joints, locking members f f are used preferably. Each locking member consists of a pair of plates 29, 29' (Fig. 5) adapted to engage corresponding recesses 30, 39' formed in the outer face of the fish-plates e e these plates 29, 29 are each provided with an extension 31 consisting of a lug bent obliquely outwards and downwards, as shown. These plates 29, 29' are mounted on a base plate 32 placed under the rail and formed with upper projections or ribs 33 substantially at right angles to the rail axis and positioned between the lugs 31 of plates 29, 29.

The base plate 32 is secured on'the top surface of a conventional cross-tie, for example by means of coach screws 41.

Besides, these plates f f are connected to the fishplates e e by means of bolts 34 passing therethrough; of course, any other suitable fastening means may be employed for this purpose.

The clamping action obtained through the clamps or like members s s and s is such that it permits nevertheless the longitudinal creeping of the blades a 0 with respect to one another as the metal is contracted or expanded by differences in the surrounding temperature or by local heating caused by the wheel rolling on the rails.

Thus, from the position of maximum contraction shown in Fig. 1 wherein the blades a a interfit to the maximum with each other, a metal contraction will cause the blade a to creep in the direction of the arrow F2 and the other blade a; to creep in the direction of the arrow F1, for example to the position of maximum expansion shown in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that in this last position the skew portions of blades a a corresponding to the portion 11 of the inner face of the heads 5 as already set forth, are separated from each other whilst the extreme portion of the head of each blade remains in contact through its inner face with the inner face of that portion of the other blade which is positioned on the heel side thereof,

due to the parallel relationship obtaining between these faces and the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the assembly, the aforesaid creeping movement taking place in the direction of this plane of symmetry.

0n the other hand it will be readily understood that due to the angle 04 formed by these bearing surfaces with the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail the stress supported by the extreme and thinnest portion of each blade (considering the running zone 13) is transmitted at least partly to the contacting portion of the other blade which corresponds to the heel thereof, or the portion having the maximum width (running zone 10) and, therefore, the highest strength.

The lengths of those portions of the inner faces of the blades which are parallel to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the rail are so calculated that in the case of maximum rail contraction corresponding to the lowest possible temperatures to be encountered in the regions where the railway tracks are to be laid each blade will nevertheless remain in contact through its tapered end with the heel of the juxtaposed blade, as shown for example in Fig. 2.

On the other hand, the posit-ion in which the blades are brought when the conditions of maximum temperature are attained should be such that a certain clearance 35 (Fig. 1) be left between the tip 36 of the head 5 of one blade a and the shoulder-forming portion 37 by which the head of rail 1 is connected to the heel of blade a To this end, it is advantageous to use a creeplimiting device consisting for example of a rod 38 fitted in a pair of registering semi-circular grooves 39, 39' formed in the longitudinal direction on the inner face of the base of each blade. The length of this rod 38 and the lengths of the aforesaid grooves 39, 39 are such that in the position of maximum expansion shown in Fig. l, the rod 38 engages the end faces 40, 40' of these grooves 39, 39, thereby locking the assembly in this position and preventing any further creeping of the blades Which might cause the end face 36 of these blades to engage the registering shoulder 37 formed on the adjacent rail.

Figure 1 shows the complete mounting of a pair of devices made in accordance with the teachings of this invention on a pair of parallel rails. It is apparent that in this embodiment the locking devices f f' f f associated with the fish-plates A, A are disposed preferably by pairs on common cross-ties t t prepared for this specific purpose. This figure also shows another pair of cross-ties t, t' assisting in supporting the pair of rail joints. Preferably also these cross-ties t, t 1

t are interconnected by longitudinal bracing members E secured on the cross-ties for example by conventional bolts or coach screws.

The aforesaid cross-ties and bracing members constitute a floor disposed on a perfectly plane ground. When the assembly is laid the device must be properly levelled or ground so that after a certain period of service no traces of burrs or fins appear on the points of the inner blades.

Normally, the connecting device should be so adjusted that the blades are in an intermediate position with respect to each other when the temperature has substantially the average value contemplated.

Of course, in track portions having a short radius of curvature the blades may be curved.

The blade profile just described may be modified to a substantial extent without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; thus, the blades may comprise only one upper inner face parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail; again, the mounting and arrangement of the fish-plates, joints, etc., employed in connection with these blades may differ from those described and illustrated herein.

It is also possible to use any other creep-limiting device than the one shown and described in the form of a rod 38 associated with grooves 39, 39" of semicircular cross-section.

Finally, it will be readily understood by anybody conversant with the art that the invention is not restricted to the form of embodiment given herein, as many details thereof may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a connecting device for assembling rails, bladeshaped rail means constituting the end portions of reduced width of adjacent rail sections, a base and a web of a substantially same transversal profile as a half longitudinal rail section for each of said bladeshaped rail means, enlarged heads integral with said webs and of a substantially symmetrical profile with re- 6' spect to the longitudinal axis of said rails for said bladeshaped rail means, inclined inner faces ,on said enlarged heads extending substantially on the whole height of said heads and being inclined transversally and accord ing to the same angle with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of said rails, said inclined inner faces forming on each of said blade-shaped rail means two end portions disposed parallelly to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of said rails and offset transversa-lly and longitudinally with respect to each other, said rail means being juxtaposed so that their enlarged heads be in a bearing relationship with respect to each other by the parallel end portions of their inner inclined faces, pressing devices adapted to apply said juxtaposed rail means against each other while allowing said rails to slide longitudinally with respect to each other under the expansion efiects, and a limiting device between said juxta posed rai-l means to maintain said relative longitudinal sliding of said rail sections between extreme values wherein said enlarged heads of said juxtaposed bladeshaped rail means are always in said bearing relationship.

2. A connecting device for assembling rails as claimed in claim 1, in which the heads of said rail-means are for-med with two opposite end portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rails and a substantially constant width, the inner faces of said end portions being inc-lined in opposite directions and with the same angle with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of said rails, said end portions being oifset transversely and joined to each other through a skew portion, longitudinal groove means with end bottom portions in the bases of said blade-shaped rail means, a creep-limiting device constituted by a rod means inserted in said groove means, said rod means being of a length substantially less than the length of said groove means and said groove means being offset longitudinally with respect to each other so that said rod means abut against said end bottom portions of said groove means on the one hand when said rails are closely joined, and on the other hand when said rails, due to the expansion effects, are spaced apart from each other in connection with the length difference between said rod means and said groove means.

3. A connecting device for assembling rails as claimed in claim 1, further comprising fish-plates pressed against the Webs of said blade-shaped rail means, locking plates for preventing any longitudinal displacement of said fishplates, said locking plates comprising an upper portion connected to said fish-plates and lower portion lugs, and base plates with recesses wherein are engaged said portion lugs.

4. In a connecting device for assembling rail a C- shaped clamp comprising two arms adapted to embrace said rails to be joined, screw means at the end of one of said arms engaging internally said end, a socket slidably and removably mounted on the end portion of said screw means, a cup-shaped member threaded on said socket and acting as retaining member, resilient washers threaded on said socket and located in said cup-shaped member for transmit-ting resiliently the thrust produced in use by said screw means between said arms, ring means threaded on said socket and disposed against said washers for transmitting the thrust of said washers, and stop means for retaining on said socket, said ring means and said washers before mounting the clamp, said socket constituting with said cup-shaped member, said Washers, said ring means and said stop means a unit independent of said proper C-shaped clamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 291,248 West Jan. 1, 1884 841,482 Boman Jan. 15, 1907 (Other references on following page) 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Malitch May 24, 1910 Gay Mar. 28, 1916 Spangler Apr. 2, 1918 Martenka May 21, 1918 Wallace Nov. 5, 19 18 Tomaszewicz Jan. 7, 1919 Christner Sept. 27,1927

8 Cropper Aug. '18, 1931 Brown Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia May 23, 1940 France June 4, 1927 Italy June 17, 1938 Italy Mar. 20, 1940 Sweden Nov. 24, 1930 

